Kolkata, Jan 14 (PTI) The West Bengal government isset to unleash a new revamped tourism policy by the end ofthis month, a top official has said.
The government also hopes to otilise the upcomingtourism fair - 'Destination East'-- to showcase its varioustourism destinations to both domestic and international touroperators, before unveiling the new policy.
"The draft of the West Bengal governmentÂ’s upcomingtourism policy is ready, and if things go as planned, it willbe unveiled by the end of this month," Atri Bhattacharya,Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism in West Bengalsaid.
"We wish to incorporate in the new policy certainrelevant points made at the Sectoral Conference on Tourism atthe upcoming 'Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS)' and also'Destination East' to be jointly organized by the West BengalTourism Department and the Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) next week," Bhattacharya said.
He said that before unveiling the new policy, thegovernment needs to understand from overseas and domesticstakeholders about their requirement and what more can be donein the policy to make Bengal a leading tourism and investmentdestination.
"These two forums will enable us to get industryfeedback," he said.
Altogether, 102 overseas delegates from 30 countries,including 14 from the US, 12 from the UK and 12 from Russia,are expected to gather at the newly-built convention centre atNew Town for the two-day tourism summit 'Destination East'beginning on January 18.
"We are aiming to showcase Gajoldoba in North Bengalas a potential tourism destination. There is also an eventlined up at Gazoldoba," Bhattacharya said.
"The global tour operators, travel agents and travelwriters would have an unprecedented access to innovative anddiverse tourism products West Bengal has on offer through anumber of familiarization (Fam) trips," Bhattacharya said.
Fam trips would take the global tour operators toDarjeeling, Kalimpong and the Dooras in north Bengal and theSunderbans and the coastal areas in south Bengal includingDigha and Mandarmani, besides Murshidabad and Santiniketan.
Manish Jain, Secretary, Department of Tourism in thestate, said that through 'Destination East', the stategovernment was keen on demonstrating its potential in thetourism sector.
"The idea is to make new innovative tourism circuits,connecting not only the eastern and north eastern states butalso countries like Bhutan, Nepal etc," said Atul Bhalla,Co-Chairman, Tourism Subcommittee, CII Eastern Region. PTI AKBJM.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.